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Here are some resources and research that can aid in planning for U.S. Bicycle Routes (USBRs). Click on the topic area to go the section of interest or scroll down through the entire list.
PROMOTION OF U.S. BICYCLE ROUTES
We've recently been working with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Safety Office on issues related to a recently released Technical Advisory on Rumble Strips (TA). Read the Technical Advisory (pdf) and the bicycle community's response (pdf) and request to have the TA revised. We will be following up with FHWA and tracking movement on this issue closely.
Promote the U.S. Bicycle Route System using our Getting it Done: Status Report (pdf) on state progress. This nicely formatted handout shows all the states currently working on U.S. Bicycle Route implementation. To demonstrate the positive outcomes of having U.S. Bicycle Routes, check out these one page PDF handouts on the Environmental, Economic, Health, and Transportation benefits of having U.S. Bicycle Routes, or download all 4 handouts in 1 pdf.
ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY BENEFITS OF BICYCLE TRAVEL
In February 2012 the Iowa Bicycle Coalition reported that biking benefits exceed $450 million in that state.
Bicycle Tourism as a Rural Economic Development Vehicle (pdf) by Heidi Beierle, MCPR at University of Oregon. This study examines the different kinds of self-contained bicycle tourists, their spending patterns and the benefits to communities along the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail.
European Cycle Route Network EuroVelo: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Tourism is a 2009 study by the European Parliament which concluded that cycle tourism has a major role to play in a more sustainable future for domestic and international tourism across Europe.
Low Carbon Travel Fact Sheet: Reducing the Climate Change Impact of Road Transport (pdf) is a comprehensive information sheet produced by the UK's Sustrans, the organization behind the development of the National Cycle Network.
Estimating the Employment Impacts of Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Road Infrastructure (pdf) — The Political Economy Research Institute compiled data provided by the city of Baltimore to write this case study. They found that on-street bike lanes and pedestrian measures created more direct jobs, more indirect jobs, and more induced jobs per dollar than either road upgrades or road resurfacing.
The University of Minnesota Tourism Center released a 2009 study on the Economic Impact of Recreational Trail Use (pdf) and a 2008 analysis of Minnesota Road Biking (pdf). Putting these two reports side-by-side, the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota reports 5,000 jobs and $1 billion in revenue attributed to bicycling.
Valuing Bicycling’s Economic and Health Impacts in Wisconsin (pdf, 876k) this 2010 study estimates the economic impact of bicycling in Wisconsin at $1.5 billion.
Great Allegheny Passage Economic Impact Study (pdf,1.2M) was completed in August, 2009. Research was conducted in 2007-08 and reveals traveling cyclists spend an average of $98/day while out on the trail. Other valuable findings are detailed in this 220 page report.
North Carolina Outer Banks Study — Bike facilities related to tourism and other positive impacts on the community.
New York City’s Green Dividend (pdf) was released by the CEOs for Cities in April 2010. The Green Dividend is a calculation of various benefits New Yorker’s enjoy due to driving less.
Guidelines for Analysis of Investment in Bicycle Facilities (pdf, 4.4m) — A compilation study by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, includes literature reviews, cost-benefit analysis, etc.
Communities Benefit! (pdf, 680k) showcases 10 outstanding projects that
demonstrate the power of the Transportation Enhancements
(TE) program to catalyze positive change and economic
rebirth in local communities.
Rural Friendliness Pays Dividends is the story about how the small town of Twin Bridges, Montana has embraced bicycle tourism and benefited.
Shoppers on Bikes Good for Business (pdf,1.1m) is an article claiming that patrons arriving by bicycle and on foot spend more money than those coming by car.
BIKE ROUTE LIABILITY CONCERNS
Liability Aspects Of Bikeway Designation (pdf/640k) by John English. This document establishes cyclists as legitimate road users.
Michigan Bicycle and Pedestrian Design and Liability Presentation (pdf/5.1M) demonstrates how, under Michigan law, the pursuit of safe design for bicyclists and pedestrians poses no additional risk of liability. The four areas the presentation focuses on are: 1) Bike Lanes in cities and villages; 2) 4 lane–3 lane conversions “Road Diets”; 3) Mid-block pedestrian crossings; and 4) Signing rural road/shoulders as bike route.
The Transportation Research Board recently published NCHRP Legal Research Digest 53 which notes an extremely low incidence of reported cases where a tort claim was filed specifically based on whether or not an agency designated a particular facility as a bikeway. Most claims arise from allegations that the transportation agency or landowner had notice of a hazardous condition and then failed to either correct the condition or provide adequate warning of the condition. Designation of the facility as a bikeway may have little bearing on claims of this type, as an agency may be responsible for these conditions on all roadways and pathways open to bicycle travel.
SURVEY OF STATE BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN COORDINATORS
2009 Implementation Preparedness: Survey of State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinators (pdf/88k) offers a snapshot of what state departments of transportation are interested in developing U.S. Bicycle Routes and summarizes the biggest challenges they face in implementation.
See our State Status Map for up-to-date information on state progress.
SUPPORT THE U.S. BICYCLE ROUTE SYSTEM
Help make the USBRS a reality, donate today.
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